The city’s police chief says the time has come to crack down on stores selling so-called synthetic marijuana.

“There have been some serious incidents here in Taunton in the past year,” said TPD Chief Edward Walsh. “It’s a growing problem.”

Walsh said people in Taunton who abuse synthetic pot and so-called bath salts, another chemical-laden designer drug group, overwhelmingly do so by smoking, as opposed to snorting or needle injection.

But he said the range of results are essentially the same, including chemically induced euphoria, excitement, irrational behavior and possible death by overdose.

Walsh has submitted a letter to the City Council seeking its approval of a “synthetic marijuana ordinance” to criminalise and prohibit the sale, distribution and possession of both synthetic marijuana and synthetic marijuana analogue, which is similar in chemical structure to the former.

The ordinance also applies to synthetic marijuana even if it is labeled as tobacco, herbs, incense, spice, plant food or bath salts.

Bath salts have been illegal in Massachusetts since Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill in August 2012. Bath salts, synthetic marijuana and similar designer drugs are now considered a Class C substance.

But the substances, although not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for consumption, by themselves are not illegal.

The challenge to law enforcement, according to Walsh and other police thought the state who have spoken on the subject, is that shadowy manufacturers — be they in China or Texas — are constantly adjusting by replacing one chemical with another as soon as it’s designated as a banned substance.

An online seller, bath-salts-direct.com, boasts of its array of “stimulating bath salts” and “super pills.” The entity claims that its U.S. and European inventory of “herbal potpourri, collectors items, bath salts and plant fertilization agents” is not illegal and not intended for human consumption.

It also challenges the Drug Enforcement Administration “to test all our available blends.”

“They’re right,” said Walsh, when informed of the online seller’s brazen claim that it isn’t breaking any law.

“They know they only have to alter the chemical composition just enough,” to stay one step ahead of law enforcement, he said.

Walsh said the new ordinance would impose a first-time $150 fine and a $300 fine for each subsequent offense. He also said convenience stores selling either synthetic pot or bath salts will be put on notice once the ordinance is passed.

City Councilman Alan Medeiros said he won’t be able to attend Tuesday night’s meeting. But he said he’ll eventually support the ordinance as it wends its way through the committee process leading up to a final vote.

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“I’m glad to see that the chief is being proactive, and I look forward to getting it enacted to protect the young people in our city,” Medeiros said.

Walsh credits assistant city solicitor Daniel de Abreu for helping him craft the ordinance.

“He did a great job. I think we went through 12 drafts until we were satisfied,” Walsh said.

The new ordinance, as written, lists a number of prohibited chemical agents often found in so-called synthetic marijuana.

Walsh says the city ordinance eventually might have to be re-written as manufacturers adjust and incorporate different compounds and ingredients to evade prosecution. But he’s confident it will be effective at least for the foreseeable future.